Gator Growl is the flagship event of the University of Florida and a tradition that has continued to be a prominent for over 90 years. It is a University of Florida tradition that marks the culmination of Homecoming Week. The pep rally is rooted in the tradition of Dad’s Day when fathers of the then all-male students would visit their sons on campus. In 1924, Dad’s Day was replaced with a Friday night pep rally, which was then accompanied by the addition of comedy skits in 1932. Thus, Gator Growl was born. The massive production consists of musical and comedic entertainers, Gator athletics and performances by UF’s Cheerleaders, Dazzlers and Pride of the Sunshine Marching Band. Hundreds of students work endless hours to create the annual spectacle. The amount of student participation that goes into an event like this has given Gator Growl the right to call itself the largest student-run pep rally in the nation.
Pat ActsRodney Dangerfield
1982 Robin Williams
1983 Bob Hope, Irene Cara
1984 Bill Cosby, Herbie Hancock
1986 Billy Crystal
1987 Jay Leno
1988 Steven Wright, Jerry Seinfeld
1989 Richard Jeni, Paula Poundstone
1990 Paul Provenza, Jeff Foxworthy
1992 David Alan Grier, Larry Miller
1993 Garry Shandling, Dennis Miller
1994 Sinbad, Bobby Slayton
1996 Paul Rodriguez, Craig Shoemaker
1997 Howie Mandel, Jeremy Hotz, Michael Buffer, Sister Hazel
1998 Ray Romano, Dave Chappelle, Carlos Mencia, Larry the Cable Guy
2000 Mitch Hedberg, John Pinette, D. L. Hughley
2001 Daniel Tosh, Dave Attell, Jim Breuer
2002 Bill Cosby, Harland Williams
2003 Sugar Ray, Christopher Titus, Arnez J
2004 Bill Engvall, Dane Cook
2006 Jim Gaffigan, Gabriel Iglesias
2007 Frank Caliendo, Lynyrd Skynyrd
2008 Jon Reep, Steve Miller Band
2010 Aziz Ansari, Kevin Hart, Dan Levy
2011 Joel McHale, Goo Goo Dolls
2012 Tracy Morgan, Josh Turner, Dara Torres
2013 The Fray, Sister Hazel, New Directions Veterans Choir
2014 Brooks Wheelan, Foster the People, Ludacris[3]
2015 Jana Kramer,[4] Echosmith, T.I.